In my town~!

I'm in Hitachi got in mid-day yesterday and had a few hours of training looking over paper work and what not.

I found out 2 of my schools have been finalized and I love the name of them! So I know now what area of Hitachi I'll be in. I see how far the schools are from bus stops or train stations and I'm a little worried lol. They both seem about 1 km from the closest train or bus stop. I can't picture it so it seems so so far lol.

Today I got a call earlier about them getting information about my apartment. They basically apologized for not having an apartment yet for me and asked if it'd be ok to call me later and have me come into the office if they got info on one.

So about an hour and a half I think before they closed I got the call to come in. Since when I first went to the office and to the hotel I went via the local super market and by car so I didn't know how to get to the office. She told me to go to the reception desk at the hotel and call them and they'll tell them the directions and they'll give me a map.

Well I asked about directions and well... I got directions to the old office ^^ Due to damage from the quake they moved to another building. So I walked back to the hotel called the office and had them tell the front desk the directions. And now it started raining...

I was soaked by the time I got to the office! After waiting a bit and filling out a tax form I learned of the apartment they had in mind for me.

it seems to be 500 meters from the local station and my main JHS is about a km from that so it's close enough to walk or bike.

The problem with it is though that it's unfurnished... it also seems that the "move in help" for coming early doesn't include rent. though rent will be just over 40,000 yen a month so it's not so bad. I only have 7900 yen left though so I am really worried about money. I can rent furniture for 7000 yen a month i think.

Ok to give you an idea an unfurnished apartment in Japan means no stove or washing machine or anything. So I move in on Monday but there is nothing in the apartment. They are planning to have the local IC meet me and take me shopping but I have no money. I have no idea what is going to happen now.

Though tomorrow after training I'm to get the internet ball rolling which here it can take a month to get internet sometimes. She kept saying a week or two so that's what i'm hoping for but we'll see tomorrow.

I am loving Hitachi so far though!

Training coming to an end!

OMG!! That was something @_@ So tired from training!

I learned today that we did undergo a slightly shorter training period of 3 days with final demos on the 4th day.

I have to say the staff at Interac is A~M~A~Z~I~N~G! I feel like I already knew them so who knows I might just stay with them and move up in the company. I did not meet the infamous Jodie who a couple people I talked with about training had mentioned.

BAD THING ABOUT TRAINING

The health checks. What made it bad was the last minute change in our schedule so we were sent out to the clinic early. We didn't know the clinic went to lunch from 1-2 so when we arrived a little before 1 we signed in and then had to wait for an hour. We didn't have lunch so we were all starving! Plus to add to it we were going to have a urine test so we couldn't pee while we waited or drink anything else besides water.

Stephanie and I worked as a interpreter for the whole group (though a couple others knew a little Japanese). My Japanese wasn't so fluent at the time though lol Interac wanted us back around 3pm to keep going on training but we got back around 4:30pm I believe.

What we had done... it was amazing it was going station to station and they moved us around differently for the quickest result.

Urine test-> chest X-ray -> Hearing test -> EKG -> Eye test -> Blood test -> Doctor consultation. @_@

I think I was the only one the doctor gave orders to. Cut back salt because I had slight Edema she said to cut back on water but realized it's hot so she scratched that ^^

Haven't been to the doctors in a long while so it'll be nice to see how it all turned out.

I hate the hearing tests though lol I have bad hearing and it was those push the button when you hear the beep test and I started to hear beeps I'm not sure were there lol

I am currently working on laundry needing to pack up my suitcases again today to send them off to Hitachi.

I don't want to get ahead of myself ^^

Only Stephanie and myself are in the Hitachi branch and the rest of those at training were with the Tokyo branch. Tokyo got all their contract info and signed for housing and health care and all that. We Hitachi people got handed a train ticket to Hitachi for Tuesday. So it turns out we are here in this hotel for the holiday weekend. I got a phone call from the MC at Hitachi and learned that we would once in Hitachi be spending another week in a hotel. During that time my schools and Leo Palace housing would be worked out.

I'm scared a bit because I came over with very little money and already got a 30000 yen of the loan to survive and another week in a hotel means another week until I get the rest of the loan. The MC asked me how my money was doing and I told him and he said not to go crazy this weekend. Which means I shouldn't go see Harry Potter this weekend... They have been very helpful so as long as I'm vocal about needing help I should get it.

I can only pray and hope the bed in the next hotel will be softer then the hard as wood bed I'm sleeping on lol

Ah! talking with the MC it sounded like Hitachi branch office got a bit of damage so they were in a temp building waiting to move into their new permanent building. The MC seemed really nice so I'm looking forward to going into the office and meeting everyone!

I guess it's a good thing that I will start teaching when school comes back from Summer break. I get to move in and explore Hitachi as well as get the way to school timed.

So far this experience has been amazing!

......cept for the bed that is hard as wood -_-

Training Day 1 ~ placement get!

I can't wait for winter!! I had hopes that they would have a van or something to take us to training but seeing how close the main office was I wasn't surprised we had to walk. Sure I'm lazy so any chance to drive somewhere instead I'd take! lol But it was humid and hot and we were all a sweaty mess by the time we got to the office. Some of the other trainees were even talking about taking a taxi this morning lol

The overall day of training was overwhelming and now I have a new habit of getting sleepy when learning new things ^^;;; I noticed it in hawaii and at Target and training yesterday. But I have to say it's a gift and a curse to have Cedric training you. He is an amazing teacher and he gives you so much amazing help on the 5Es with the kids but he's so good I know it scared me into thinking if i can handle this.

Starting knew things scare me and I assume I can't do it after a week or so I just pass that hill and I'm pretty darn good at it. I'm in the freak out stage still but I know I actually have to be riding the bike myself to truly get my mind around all that. Even doing demo's in front of the other ALTs won't do it but it'll help me for battle with my future students.

I notice a lot of time during the training was asking questions about things not going as planned and learning more about how the school system works. Even me who is a up and coming Japanologist didn't know how involved teachers were with their student's life. I knew they had much more responsibility then their western counterparts; them being called to the police station if the kid gets in trouble and what not. But not so far as calling their student to make sure they woke up and were getting ready for school if needed. It's always made sense to me that a teacher should have a more respected and responsible role in children lives since they spend the same (if not more) amount of time with the child as the parents do. As an ALT we got all the respect that comes as being a teacher in Japan but none of the responsibility. I haven't taught a class yet but in hearing all about this and other ALTs interaction with their students I just feel like my day job here in Japan will be an English teacher and I'll want to get certified and everything. We'll see if that sticks when I start classes lol

Also because Japan+ME=money problems I went to training with only 4000 yen ($45-ish) left and talked to Dennis and David about it. By the end of the day I had 30000 yen ($350) signed out to me with the rest of the loaning coming when I get my bank account all set. I also heard a comment of getting my signing bonus at the end of the month as well. Things will start looking up!

I got my placement as well! I heard things can change during training so I'm keeping in mind it's not final until I sign contracts and get my apartment and school assignments. So where am I going at least for the moment?

Hitachi, Ibaraki!

Yup! Hitachi as in the TVs and other electronics ^^ As for those who got their placements today I got the biggest city. It's also a non-driving placement too. which i had told my friend here i had only just got my license and he said it was really nice knowing me XD well now i dont have to worry about driving! Though I worry about hour walks or bike rides to school ^^

I'm thinking it's time to get ready it's 6:23am and breakfast starts at 7am!

Day 2 of training starto!

In Japan!

<3<3<3<3<3<3

I am in the hotel on lock down with a headache. Japan has been really hot and humid! I am so looking forward to winter lol

My hotel room over looks Tokyo dome! See the pic above yup that's it! ^^

I haven't done a lot or seen a lot of people... due to money issues I wished I hadn't come early but I'm going with it. I visited Hakusan and walked around the dome.

Met up with Stacey yesterday and after talking to her about teaching and work I am so excited about starting work! I want more and more to know where I am going and as the days pass I get more excited! Tuesday!! training!

So before I left my dog got really sick. Head tilted and having a really hard time walking. We took her to the vet and as I got dropped off at the airport the vet called about results of test and it looks like she might have kidney damage.

Things happened before I left that changed my money situation so I'm freaking about money. I hope to have enough to eat until training is over but after that I have no idea. I got in contact with Interac about getting my loan or bits of it to survive soon and will have to wait til tomorrow to hear back.

Though I heard there was someone whose money situation changed (parents were to send money later but then couldn't) and they were ready to head home but Interac seemed to have worked something out with them. I hope this will be the case. I have to say even though there are bad things you hear about them I am hearing more and more about Interac and how it seems they really care about the people they work for!

So soon!

Leaving in 28 hours! I'm so excited!

I need to finish up packing today! So much left to do!

I emailed Interac because I had not heard anything about where to go on Monday lol. "Leaving in about 38 hours and have no idea what to do" lol The hotel is like across the garden from Tokyo Dome!! ^^ and it was a few hundred yen cheaper a night too so I booked it for the 7-11 ^^ I'll only have to bring my suitcases down to the lobby and then to the new room if anything. It'll be nice if I don't have a roomie during training I can just stay in the room I get ^^;;;

I got an email asking for my a copy of my JLPT level 3 certificate. O_O Not sure where it is lol I got to find it! ^^